Agis was now back in Sparta for a time. He was, perhaps, the ablest man they had, and had done good work for his country at Dekeleia, whither he had been sent at the advice of Alkibiades. On his return home he heard of nothing but the greatness, the powers, the courage, the wisdom and ability, of their new councillor. Who was this effeminate Athenian who seemed to be ruling everyone in Sparta? A traitor to his country, and one who, as like as not, would soon prove a traitor to them! Agis was consumed with jealousy. It is said he had another cause for being jealous, of a more private nature, nearer home. Be that as it may, he hated Alkibiades, his rival. The rival was away. Had he been there it might have been different, but he was away fighting and directing the battles of Lakedaimôn. He had added fresh claims to their gratitude. He had gained over many of the Athenian allies by his presence and persuasion. By his skill and courage he had defeated the Argives at Miletos, and it was now known that the whole remnant of that contingent, twelve hundred men, had gone back again to Argos disgusted when they found they had to fight against him. Then by his promptitude and zeal he had saved Miletos, and the Spartan army, which, but for him, might now have been in the hands of a victorious enemy. But he was away. Others besides Agis hated him with the hatred of smaller minds towards a greater, a cause of hatred of which he had felt the dire effects before at home. There were others who, not hating him, thought Sparta had got all she was likely to get out of him, and wished to get rid of him, and knew of only one safe way of doing so. He had few amongst the governing Spartans to take his part. His friend and companion, the brave Chalkideus, was slain. His friend and relative Endios was no longer Ephor. By secret suspicions artfully spread amongst those of the new Ephors who were not hostile to him, they were at length persuaded that it was necessary for the state that he should be destroyed. He had done too much for Sparta. The Ephors had almost despotic powers. They could even imprison their kings. But their power lasted only for a year. So what they meant to do against Alkibiades they must do speedily and secretly. They resolved on his assassination. They had a simple but sure method of communicating with their commanders at the seat of war. The Ephors had a staff of office of precisely the same shape and size as the commander’s baton. Round this they rolled a sheet of parchment and wrote their deadly message on it, which doomed Alkibiades to a sudden death. This scroll was then unrolled. When it was off the staff it was illegible, and not till it was rolled round the commander’s staff could it be deciphered. It was then entrusted to one of the commissioners to carry to Astyochos at Miletos.